Ford's Twin Cities assembly plant closed after 100 years.... video of last Ranger

[kaisen]

It's strange to drive past the empty Ford plant. I live less than two miles West of the plant. There were always hundreds (thousands?) of Rangers in the staging lots on Ford Parkway. Then fewer and fewer. Finally, in Jan and Feb this year the lots were completely full of white Rangers, the last off the line. Then nothing....

This is a video of the last Rangers coming down the line.

[billh1963]

Wow! Actually made me kinda sad....

[kaisen]

Highland Park area. Three blocks West of Snelling on Ford Parkway on the St Paul side of the Mississippi River. It's three or four blocks South of I-94. Once you cross the river into Minneapolis, Ford Parkway turns into 46th St and E Minnehaha Parkway (on Minnehaha Creek). I'm basically due West on Minnehaha, near Lake Nokomis and Lake Hiawatha.

[Scott R]

Where are they building Rangers now?

[Scott R]

Kind of sad, one of the first cars I drove. I had no idea they were no longer selling them, they seem very popular around here.

[Jim Bremner]

This is more than sad. We need to build more here not less. Yes, it's a global economy...... But what about local economy. when AMERICAN people don't have jobs there will be less economy.

[HardDrive]

I don't understand, they are not going to have a small truck?

[billybek]

Originally Posted by Jim Bremner

This is more than sad.

Damn straight.

While they looked happy enough on the video, I wonder how many of them went home and cried after that last shift?

[Jim Bremner]

Originally Posted by billybek

Damn straight.

While they looked happy enough on the video, I wonder how many of them went home and cried after that last shift?

It wouldn't surprise me if they did it to themselves. Unions have created a false economy that we have all payed for. Yes, there was a need for unions 60 years ago but the ramifications for their actions have caused the decline of our country. At the front of the economic crisis I would have ended the unions until the crisis was over. paying someone $50 an hour to install lug nuts is a bit off.

[TechnoViking]

Ford Ranger? Yea, that's the problem right there.

[Jim Bremner]

Originally Posted by TechnoViking

Ford Ranger? Yea, that's the problem right there.

got three in my family. My dad's and two step sons. the only problems that the three trucks have had was done to the abused 4x4 that at 140k miles got it's first set of sparkplugs. I've driven a toyota tacoma with less miles that sucked far worse.

[kaisen]

Originally Posted by HardDrive

I don't understand, they are not going to have a small truck?

Nope, not here in the US.

If you added up every Ranger, Tacoma, Frontier, Colorado, Canyon, Ridgeline, and Dakota in 2011 it still wouldn't add up to HALF the number of F-series Ford sold here last year.

BTW, Ford sold TEN TIMES the number of F-series as Toyota sold Tundras last year. Ranger outsold Tundra.

I think big trucks will remain Ford's focus (no pun), although rumor has it that Ford will bring the ROW Ranger here in a few years.

[HardDrive]

Originally Posted by TechnoViking

Ford Ranger? Yea, that's the problem right there.

Well you clearly never owned one. I had a 1993, and it was fantastic. I still remember the total cost of all the non maintenance repairs I had to shell out over 8 years and 130k: $238. I beat the hell out of that truck, and it was near flawless. Still looked pretty good when I sold it after 8 years of harsh Michigan winters.

[kaisen]

TechnoViking hates American cars. Clearly established.